No Rest for the Weary
by Code LJ
Summary: The last in a saga about Lady Jaye being the head of the Phoenix Industries.  This story got so long, this is "part 1  chapters 1-14 .  Part 2 is published under the title "The Escape Clause"  chapters 15-24 .  Enjoy!  Thank you for the great reviews!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but two dogs and a cat. This is purely fan fiction. _

_Author's Note: This is the sixth, and last, in a series about Lady Jaye and her command of the former Cobra organization. Sorry it's so long - the whole story needed to be told! I had to break this story into parts 1 and 2! I will upload "2"when I can! Enjoy! Reviews are always welcome._

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

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><p>Lady Jaye threw herself back into her work. While others noticed a change in her, no one knew how to approach her, so they just let her be. Scarlett tried to approach her, but couldn't get anything out of her other than all men were assholes. This gave Scarlett the answer, but she didn't know how or why. What did he do this time to screw up? she wondered.<p>

Finally deciding that Jaye's time was up hiding and feeling sorry for herself, Scarlett caught her in her office one day, two weeks after the mission, and suggested a shopping trip.

"I won't take no for an answer," Scarlett told her as Jaye started to protest. "You need to get out of here and see the sunlight. I swear, you're turning into a vampire," she joked. "Weren't you planning a trip anyway? You'll need clothes, you know," she teased.

Jaye hesitated, and then thought, why the hell not? "I am the boss," she said thoughtfully. "Are we talking afternoon or taking the corporate jet to Paris?"

Scarlett's eyes widened. "Hmmm…..if I hear the word 'bonus check,' I'm right there with ya!"

Jaye got up from her desk and hugged her friend. "Thanks. Sorry I've been such a drag lately. I guess we haven't had much down time together. Why not throw together some friends and we'll open up my aunt's house in the south of France for a long weekend?"

Scarlett gave a mock sigh. "I think I have died and gone to heaven. Have I mentioned how grateful I am to you for hiring me?" she grinned.

"I know!" Jaye said excitedly, getting into the mood. "Let's make it a girls' weekend. Let's see if Courtney can get leave from the states and all 3 of us have a major shopping trip. Beach, shopping, clubs…."

"I'm on it!" Scarlett grinned. "I'll let you know when it's all set!" She returned Jaye's hug. "It's nice to have you back, Ali," she said, hurrying from the office to go set things up.

"It's nice to be back," whispered Jaye, watching her friend leave. At least someone thinks so, she thought, and then quickly blocked him from her mind. She knew she had been a little harder on the staff and heaven knows, she had worked out so much these past two weeks, she was still feeling a little sore. Don't go there, she willed her mind, as she started to think of that last night together with him. Not healthy to dwell on it. He made his choice and it was his job, not me. She flinched, thinking that two years ago, she had made the same decision. Well, what did you expect? she berated herself. That he would wait around for me?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and went back to her desk. She punched up the mission schedule on her computer and took care of a few things, ensuring Scarlett and she had some time off. It was nice to be in charge and not have to worry about plans changing at the last minute, she thought. It'll be good to see Courtney, it's been awhile. She thought of the damage they'd be doing to the stores and grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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><p>"I think I've died and gone to heaven," Courtney groaned dramatically, toasting the girls with her champagne. "I can't believe you sent the corporate jet to pick me up! Not to mention the limo that drove me to the airport," she giggled. "You should've seen the guys in motor pool. I think their jaws might still be on the ground!"<p>

Scarlett grinned. "Hey, nothing but the best for our Cover Girl," she said, clinking glasses with both girls. "It pays to know those in high places," she said, grinning at Jaye.

"Hey, I'm just glad Phoenix is doing so well that we can afford to do all this!" Jaye said with a sigh, leaning back in her seat. "I so needed this. You have to thank Shana for all this…it was her idea!"

"Well, the limo and jet were yours, of course," grinned Scarlett. "I was always the brains of the group though, wasn't I?" she jokingly told the girls.

They chattered on, catching up on things, as the plane started to descend. Flashing their passports, they made it through customs without a problem and were soon on their way to the house.

The term "house" was an understatement as the girls arrived at the front gates. "Holy shit!" exclaimed Courtney, eyeing the mansion in front of them. "You said 'house'….this is a mansion!"

Jaye grinned. "It's something my aunt gave me on my 21st birthday. She said everyone needed a beach house."

While the girls knew that Jaye came from money, they had never been sure exactly how much, but knew Jaye had never been too worried with spending before. With her family's money, as well as what she was making now as the CEO…..Courtney and Shana looked at each other wide-eyed.

They arrived at the front door and were met by the housekeeper. She instructed their driver to take their bags. She then turned and gave Lady Jaye a hug. "It's good to see you again, Alison," she said warmly. "We get worried that you are working too much."

"Thanks Greta," Jaye said softly, then introduced her to the girls. "This is Greta, who is like a mom to me. She's been at my uncle's house for awhile, but volunteered to come down here and get the house ready for us….and to spoil us rotten with her fabulous cooking!" she said with a cheeky grin.

"Ah, Miss Alison," said Greta with an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid your uncle knows where you are and wishes you to call him about some business. After that, though," she said, her eyes twinkling, "you are on a well deserved vacation and I will no longer be knowin' of your whereabouts!"

"Thanks Greta. Girls, let's get settled and let me get the business out of the way so we can start the pleasure!"

Jaye walked into the room that served as an office in the house. It also sported a view of the private beach, which she looked at longingly before dialing her uncle's direct line.

The conversation was brief. While he knew she needed a vacation, she still had to assure him things were going well at Phoenix, that Zartan knew what he was doing, and that she trusted him. She knew their contract with MARS was coming up for renewal and no, she didn't think there would be any trouble with that. Yes, she would be in touch after her vacation and would talk with him then. Jaye rolled her eyes when he inquired who was with her.

"It's a girls weekend, uncle, no boys allowed!" she teased. "Plus, we have Greta to chaperone, so I think we'll be okay."

"I'd still feel safer if you had guards with you while you are there," Destro said disapprovingly. "You do realize that with what you do, you are a prime candidate for kidnapping. And that business with the CIA…."

"Uncle, please. I can take care of myself. I understand the need for guards and if you would like to send some, than please do so. Only know that they might be bored since we plan on hitting the beach and going shopping. Nothing too strenuous," she assured him. She knew it would be a losing argument and if he wanted her to have guards, then so be it. His remark also had her a bit worried. Her relations with the CIA, especially after the last mission with Flint, were pretty precarious, and even though there was silence from that part, she knew that they sometimes worked around their own set of laws. Not that they would stoop to kidnapping. Or so she hoped.

She managed to get off the phone with her uncle and went to join the girls. They had already changed into bikinis and were ready to hit the beach. It didn't take long for Jaye to change and join them, and all three were soon relaxing in the sun, discussing plans for the trip.

"There's a pretty trendy club that we could go to tonight," Shana said, "that I found online. It's called Tres. I didn't know if we wanted to try out our French and hit the night life," she giggled.

Courtney frowned. "Not sure if I brought the right clothes for a club. Remember, I lead a dull military life!"

The girls then decided to go take inventory of what they had and go shopping. Jaye smiled. She had _so_ needed this and the two girls were the perfect companions. She knew it would be a weekend to remember.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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><p>When they reached the club that evening, they saw it was definitely a hot spot. A line a block long stretched from the club's entrance.<p>

"Watch this," Courtney winked at the two, and sauntered up to the bouncer at the door. After a few exchanged words and some gestures towards the other two, Courtney smiled and waved the girls over.

"This is Jock," she giggled. "He's my new best friend and has graciously decided we look too hot to be waiting outside, so we're in."

With that the girls sauntered inside. It was a typical European club and guys were on the three girls as soon as they entered. They quickly picked out a rendezvous spot and each went off to dance with a guy of their choosing.

Jaye was having a good time, dancing with her current partner, when she was suddenly whirled around and found herself face to face with _Duke_, of all people!

"We have to talk!" he shouted above the noise. He led her to one of the quiet corners that were set up around the perimeter of the room, sitting down on one of the sofas, pulling her down next to him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, stunned. This was the last person she expected to see in a European club. Hell, in any American club for that matter! "Have the others seen you?"

"Look, I can't stay long. I happened to be in this area of the world and decided to do Hawk a favor. He came across some information that the CIA is planning on taking Phoenix out. Not sure why, but it has something to do with your latest mission with them. What the hell did you do to piss them off?"

Jaye frowned. "I wish they'd leave us the hell alone. I mean, we're even sanctioned by the UN! What on earth is going on! Sure, we embarrassed some of their boys, but damn it, they deserved it!"

Duke looked serious. "I don't know. This is definitely something you should be serious about. Hawk is worried. He'll do his best on the Washington end, but this might be something you have to clean up on your own. Hey, is that Shana? And Courtney?" he asked, surprised, seeing the two girls coming towards them.

"Girls weekend," Jaye replied, still frowning as she thought over what he said.

"I've got to go," Duke said abruptly. "Just be careful, ok? Think about what I said."

Jaye stood up with him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I owe you one," she simply said.

He grinned at her. "Maybe I'll make you pay up later by taking _me_ on some vacation in France!" With that, he was gone.

The other two girls approached Jaye. "Who was that?" Shana asked, frowning. "He looked familiar."

"I'll tell you later," Jaye replied, looking around.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Courtney, studying Jaye carefully. "You look upset."

Shana bit her lip. "I was getting a bit bored. These European guys have nothing on my ninja," she said, forcing a grin. "Let's get out of here, ok?"

The other two nodded and they made their way towards the exit. Courtney made sure she flirted with Jock one last time as they were waiting for the car Jaye had called.

Once in the car, Shana looked at Jaye and simply said, "Spill. That was Duke. I'd know him anywhere."

Courtney's eyes were wide. "What the hell is going on? I'm legally on leave, right? He would've approached me otherwise," she said with a frown.

Jaye looked grim. Trusting Courtney, she explained what Duke had said. Both girls were shocked.

Courtney, eyes wide, exclaimed, "But, you're an American citizen, right? I mean, the dual citizenship thing with Scotland and all. Your company is world recognized and fights the good fight. Shoot, even the military guys I work with talk about it in awe. Why would the CIA want to shut you down?"

Jaye sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Maybe we've pissed off a few too many, I don't know. You remember dealing with them when we were Joes. They're a sneaky underhanded group and seem to have their own set of rules. I need to talk to Hawk."

Upon their return to the house, Jaye was relieved to see that the guards her uncle had sent had arrived and were on duty. After promising to join the girls later for an update, she went to the office and called Hawk on the secured line she had installed a few years ago in the house.

"How much of a worry is this?" she asked him.

"I don't know, Alison. I'm doing all I can to secure trust on this end, but it seems with the latest exploit, it pushed them a little too far. What exactly did you do to Flint?" he asked. "I need to know all the details so I can see how best to fight it from my end."

She thought the question should be what he did to her, but she didn't want to reveal that to Hawk. She explained what happened on the mission, how they had found out his side orders, and what they had done to prevent it from happening. She left out the details of their night together, other than the fact that he tried to install a bug in her penthouse, but that she had found it and destroyed it.

Hawk was silent for a moment. "Is that all?"

"Pretty much," she replied. She hesitated. "Who exactly is leading this charge?"

"I haven't been able to discern it just yet," Hawk replied, "but know I'm working on it. I think you have most of Washington's support, but I want you to be careful. Once the CIA's pissed off, it's hard to get them off your back. Phoenix has a lot of support, but I don't know…Makes me wonder why they wanted that bug in your room…." he sighed, trailing off.

"Keep me updated."

"Be careful Alison. Watch your back."

She disconnected and called Zartan to fill him in on everything.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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><p>Knowing she could trust Courtney to keep things confidential, she spilled everything, including all her concerns about what this could do to her company.<p>

Hugging her pillow, Shana asked, concerned, "Look, don't hate me for asking this, but does this have anything at all to do with how you and Flint left things?"

"What?" Courtney exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

Shana filled her in on how Flint was the babysitter on their last mission and how they had foiled his plan.

"Wow," Courtney said, still awed. "Ok, maybe I need to come start working for you! It sounds like a damn soap opera!"

"It's not always that way," Jaye said wryly. "Most of its pretty routine and boring."

Shana grinned. "Yeah, but we get great benefits and bonuses!"

Jaye smiled. "True. Always smart to keep your employees happy, especially when they're trained to kill!" she laughed.

"Seriously though girls," she said, more serious, "I'm not sure what to do. I'll have to think on it."

"Well, we're here in paradise, we have some major shopping to do tomorrow, so let's get some rest and it'll look better in the morning. It always does," Courtney said, giving both girls a hug.

"I need to take care of a few things," Jaye said, "so I'll be up in a bit. "

Going back downstairs, she went back into her office, but instead of sitting down at her desk, she stared out the door. Biting her lip, she realized no ideas were coming to her, so after letting the guards know where she was heading, she went down to the beach for a walk in the moonlight. Feeling reassured that two guards were standing by her and that the MARS alarm on the perimeter of the property was set and secure, she sat down and buried her toes in the still warm sand. Staring blankly out at the ocean, she wondered how she was going to get out of this mess. Obviously, some politicking was necessary, something she hated doing. She had to find out who was behind this and shut it down by legal means. No need pissing off the whole American government!

She wondered if she could use Flint as her contact. It was something Hawk had suggested, but knowing how they had last left things, she doubted she would have his support. Why she had let her emotions get the better of her…. she still berated herself over it. Obviously he had moved on and become a much better actor than he used to be, she mused. And while maybe there was still some attraction on his part, she should have known better, that it was no more than that. He had two years to get in touch with her, to make contact. She may have been busy leading Phoenix, but it wasn't like she was unapproachable. She and Shana managed to keep in touch and get together; the same with her and Courtney. In fact, it was not the first time the three had vacationed together.

She sighed and buried her head in her hands. How had she let it get to this? At first it had been fun fooling the agents. They were stupid enough to fall for it and the CIA just as stupidly kept sending them. Why they hadn't learned yet that nothing got in the way of a Phoenix mission objective, she didn't know.

Funny how Hawk had sent Duke. She guessed it was because Hawk knew she had always admired and listened to Duke, her old CO, and had respected his opinion. She knew he was in some covert ops group now with Courtney, something he had always excelled at, and wondered what had brought him to France in the first place. Then again, being in "this part of the world" could just mean being east of the U.S.!

A slight noise and a feeling of unease made Jaye keep her head down, but her hand slid slowly to the gun she had tucked in the waistband of her sweats she had changed into after the club. Casually, she looked up and out at the ocean again, as if she was deep in thought. In reality, she was listening, and she glanced over to where the guards were stationed. No one was there. Dread curled in her stomach as she thought about what that might mean. Figuring she should move, she casually got up, her hand gripping the gun she had slid in her pocket, ready for anything. Her senses were on high alert.

Sensing a movement to her right, Jaye decided to not engage and head back to the house. She wasn't sure what she was up against and she'd rather not do it alone without backup. The lights were still burning and she could make out the outlines of the guards, stationed where they were when she had left the house….was it only half an hour ago?

Well aware of her surroundings, knowing them so well that she could easily navigate her way around in darkness, she began her assent. Whoever or whatever it was, followed her, as she continued to hear the slight noises. Because of her familiarity, she knew exactly where they were and made sure to veer in a direction where they would be blocked by bushes on that side. She managed to reach the house safely, and wondered if it had all been in her imagination, brought on by paranoia of the night's events.

She gestured to one of the guards and quietly asked him to take several others and explore the property and to make sure to locate the two guards. Still having that feeling of being watched, she drew the curtains in the office and pressed a button. A series of screens popped up and she surveyed the property, both inside and out. She couldn't sense movement on any screens but did a quick check to make sure everything was working properly.

Part of her had wanted to confront whoever it was, being upset that someone had breached what she considered to be a private place. However, her own self-preservation had won out, along with common sense and worry over the guests in the house. She wouldn't put them in harm's way.

Was it her imagination? Her instincts were usually pretty on.

Knowing Zartan rarely slept, she decided to give him a call and fill him in on her nightly visitor. Like her, he didn't dismiss the idea as paranoia. He did suggest that maybe, since she wasn't confronted, it was merely a recon or surveillance, and to make sure she used extra caution. He also asked if she wanted to come back early, but she stubbornly refused. She had promised to show her friends a good time. Her friends were also trained to take on a whole army themselves, so maybe it was good they were together.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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><p>She updated Shana and Courtney on the night's events at the breakfast table. The two missing guards had been found, unconscious, not too far from where they had been stationed. Jaye had been upset by this news, knowing that she had been so lost in thought, she hadn't heard a thing. The girls assured her she had nothing to feel guilty about, and that as far as she knew, it was safe here. They agreed with Zartan's assessment of it being a reconsurveillance.

Shana frowned. "I've been thinking about this. What if this isn't the CIA. Hear me out," she said, raising her hand when the other two started to protest. "What if it's made to seem like the CIA. Phoenix, while ridding the world of some of the world's worst terrorist groups, has made some enemies by doing so. What if the rumor is about the CIA, but started by another organization. I mean, really, if someone contacted you now from there, would you work with them? Hell no. You'd think it'd be a trap. It could be a way to misalign you with the group which would eventually lead to a conflict within the U.S. Government." Her eyes widened. "It could almost be that they're using your company to…." she stopped, not wanting to voice her thought aloud.

Courtney looked from one girl to the other. "I swear, I feel like I'm caught up in some movie plot! Isn't there some way you could find out? Don't you have anyone on the inside of the CIA to confirm or deny?"

Scarlett sighed. "I know you don't want to hear it, Ali, but I think we need to contact Flint. He's the only one I know of in there that I can trust to tell us the truth, or at least find out the truth. He's a good guy, despite everything that's happened between you two. I can't see him plotting your downfall. You've been through too much."

The room was silent as all three digested this.

Jaye sighed. "I guess you're right, but I have no idea how to contact him. I wouldn't even know what to say at this point."

"I do," Scarlett said quietly. "He gave Snakes and I a private number in case we ever needed to contact him. Do you have a secure line?"

Scarlett disappeared in the office, but was back in a matter of moments. "I had to leave a message," she sighed. "I don't know if it's a cell number or home number. Either way, I was careful what I said, but he should know it's me. I fed him some story about arranging a party for Snake's birthday."

Courtney giggled nervously. "Ok, that is seriously whacked. He's going to know something's up! I can't see throwing a ninja a surprise party as a good idea!"

_Outside Washington, D.C._

It had been a hard mission and Flint was exhausted. All he wanted to do was to get back to his place and crash for a few days. Some mindless sleep ought to do him some good, he thought. He scowled as he saw the red light blinking on his machine. I should just let it go, he thought, eyeing his bed as he began to undress. Whatever it is can wait.

Guilty thoughts crept into his head as he took a shower. What if it was family? What if something had happened? Swearing, he made his way to the machine after his shower, the towel wrapped around his waist, hair dripping. He had to listen to the message twice to quite get the full meaning behind it.

"Hey there, Dash! It's Shana. Look, we're planning to get together the old gang for Snakes 30th birthday. Give me a call as soon as you get this and I can give you details. Hope to hear from you soon!"

What the hell? he thought. It was so bizarre he thought it had to be a code. He had given Shana his number to use in case she ever needed him, and she called about a birthday party? Shaking his head, he wondered if he should just wait until morning. His gut told him he'd better do it now and find out what the hell was going on. Sighing, he went over to his gun safe and dialed the combination. Inside was an unregistered gun and a cell phone. Going into the bathroom, he shut the door and turned on the water in the sink and bath. Then, he dialed Shana's number.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

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><p>Courtney and Shana had convinced Jaye to go shopping to pass the time. Not knowing when Flint would call, they all needed a distraction.<p>

The girls were all chattering in the dressing room, critiquing their outfits, when Shana's phone rang. They immediately went silent, staring at it as she held it her hand, barely able to breathe.

"Yes?" Shana answered.

"What's up with the message?" Flint growled over the phone. "There's no way in hell you're throwing a ninja a surprise party."

Shana glanced at the other two girls, who were watching her. Courtney was wide-eyed while Jaye's were narrowed, and Shana knew she was straining to hear the conversation from both sides.

"Yeah, the party seemed like a good idea," she continued, ignoring Flint's words. "Sorry to give you such short notice, but I could use some information from you about what he might like. I was thinking of maybe a _Phoenix_ figure. What do you think?"

Flint sighed and put his head in his hands. He knew Shana was trying to tell him something, but his tired, muddled brain was having a hard time figuring it out.

At Flint's silence, Shana sighed. Men were so dense. "Ok, if not that, how about a _bird_ figurine? I was thinking of a _jay_." She waited for it to sink in.

Flint immediately sat up straight, his brain putting the pieces together. "Is she in trouble? Is that what this is about?"

Shana smiled. Finally! "Well, the _jay_ figurine is kind of hard to find, but I thought you could help me. Don't you have some leave time coming up? It would be a shame to miss the party."

"Where are you?" he growled, concern for Lady Jaye having him fully awake and alert. While their last parting had not been good, he knew he still loved her.

"Shopping. Staying at a friend's house here at the beach. She's all _heart_, you know? Inviting us to spend some time on the Mediterranean."

"Got it. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"You might want to hurry," Shana said, still trying to keep the tone light. "We're only down here for the weekend. There will be a ticket waiting for you at the airport. The sooner you get here, the better."

With that, he disconnected. He remembered seeing photographs of Ali at her aunt's beach house in the south of France. They had once talked about vacationing there, in a past life. That had to be the place Shana was talking about. _What the hell was going on?_

Shana snapped her phone closed. "That should do it," she told the girls.

"Wait," Jaye said slowly. "I thought you were trying to get information from him. It sounded like to me you just invited him over."

Shana came over and squeezed her friend's hand. "I think it's the only way we're going to get answers," she said softly. "I'm sorry. I know this is painful for you, but we've got to find out the truth."

"I know, but I don't have to like it," Jaye grumbled.

Courtney snapped her fingers and grinned, startling the two girls. "I knew this was like a soap opera. Geeze, where do I sign up?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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><p>Lady Jaye did not want to be waiting around when Flint arrived. Although she knew Shana meant well, she was not ready to face him after what happened last time. She knew she would at one point or another, but he didn't have to think she was waiting for him!<p>

She had talked Courtney into spending some time on the beach and encouraged two of the guards to join them. After all, they were to stay close, right? She and Courtney enjoyed the light flirtations of the men and had the music blaring on their own private beach party.

Jaye glanced down at her phone as it rang. It was Greta, letting her know that Shana had returned. Unable to repress a sigh, she told Courtney and the guards to start packing it up. Courtney glanced at Jaye's long face.

"What exactly _did_ happen between you two? I thought it was always a true love thing," she said softly, trying not to hurt Jaye's feelings.

Jaye straightened up and looked at her friend. "I really don't want to talk about it, but….thanks, Courtney," she said, giving her friend a hug. "You head on up. I'll be there in a bit. I want to get one last swim in before."

She dove into the water before Courtney could say anything more. How could she explain how she had been used that last time? She felt so foolish. If Flint had still loved her, he wouldn't have waited two years to approach her. Apparently, he was a better actor than he used to be. Even she had been fooled.

Knowing she'd have to face him sooner or later, she came out of the water and toweled herself dry, the dread lying low in her stomach. She took a few deep breaths to force it away, and, grabbing her cover up, made her way to the house. She bypassed the main living area and went into her room using a private entrance. She changed into sweats and a t-shirt. No way would she let him think that she was dressing up for him. Then again, wasn't she deliberately dressing down? She made a face in the mirror. God, get yourself together, Alison! You're a CEO of a major company and have even been on the cover of several magazines! Why are you letting one guy bother you this much? She sighed, knowing the answer to that and decided to just go in and face the music.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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><p>Flint had been standing by the glass doors, admiring the view, and had watched her coming out of the water. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, he thought sadly. It's a shame we can't even be in the same room and get along these days, he sighed. Something always happened, usually resulting from one of their damn jobs. He sighed again and ran his hand through his hair, getting ready for the confrontation.<p>

Once she had disappeared around a corner, he turned his attention back to the room. He was surprised to see that Courtney had joined them. He hadn't even heard her enter. She was wearing a sundress and looking as good as ever, he thought with a smile. She grinned up at Flint and made some crack about ships passing in the night.

Scarlett glanced at the doorway, and he turned his attention away from Cover Girl to Jaye, who was standing in the shadows.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "I've brought Flint up to date on what we've been told by various parties as well as some of our theories. I also told him why we brought him here…not that it's not nice to have a Joe reunion," she grinned at everyone.

Lady Jaye walked in the room and placed her MP3 on one of the tables. She then went and stood by the doors, arms crossed, eyes deliberately blank, avoiding looking at Flint.

"Let's get on with it then," said Scarlett, Jaye's body language making her sigh. What was with these two?

"We do have one more person joining us," Jaye said softly, looking pointedly at Scarlett. "He should be here any minute."

The assembled group looked confused until a dark shadow filled the doorway. Scarlett gave a shout and ran up to hug Snake Eyes.

"How did you…I thought you were….anyway, you're here," she said happily.

"I hope you don't mind," Jaye said, her voice a little stronger. "I thought it best to have both my intell advisors in on this. He finished his last assignment early, so it made more sense to send him here than home."

Snake Eyes signed something and nodded towards Flint. "It's good to see you too, old friend," he said, the two shaking hands.

Scarlett once again took the leadership role since it was apparent that Jaye was not going to do anything that had her interacting directly with Flint.

"Ok, now that everyone's been apprised of the situation, we need some process and elimination. Flint, do you really think this is the work of the CIA? You've been with them long enough to dispel the 'Joe bias' of them and think with a clear head."

Flint stood and paced the room, making sure to give Lady Jaye her space over in her corner.

"It's a secure house," she answered for him, even though he hadn't spoken the question aloud. "Like the office, this house has been 'treated' and what we say cannot be monitored," she stated, covertly glancing at her MP3, "unless we want it to."

Flint nodded, understanding. He knew Phoenix often tested the prototypes for MARS and had things not available to others for several years.

"Well, you do realize that your treatment of CIA agents has not been looked on favorably. It's actually been a bit of an embarrassment to both the agents and the CIA that you have been able to thwart so many missions. I think it's also embarrassing to them that your success rate is so high. Lady Jaye," he said, acknowledging her for the first time, "since you're the face of the company, I can see why you would become a target."

"However," he continued, "I can't see them trying to eliminate you and your organization since you have so much support in Washington. In fact, you're a bit of a budget wonder," he chuckled. "Even though your price is high, you do a good job and it's much cheaper than sustaining a team such as GI Joe."

Snake Eyes signed something and Scarlett translated. "He says that you can't be too sure what the CIA will do. Although you are a high level agent, your past connections might be working against you as well."

Flint nodded. "I have thought of that. My gut tells me it's not the CIA, but like Scarlett suggested, it could be someone else who wouldn't mind using Phoenix as bait and pitting the CIA against them, or even to shut down Phoenix completely."

Courtney spoke up. "What about the possibility of the former Cobras now in prison? Could they have someone working outside for them? I mean, if we're talking revenge, they have the biggest motive!"

Lady Jaye spoke up again. "I don't think that would be it. The ones incarcerated were the ones who would be working the outside. And those that work for Phoenix…trust me….they in no way shape or form want the company to fail. They have too much riding on it."

They discussed several scenarios and then Jaye excused herself. Slipping from the room, she went to her office and shut the door, locking it. She pressed a button and a drawer slid open, revealing among many things another MP3 like the one she had placed in the other room. She put the headphones in her ears and sat back, eyes watching the door in case someone would try to get in.

"What do you think, Zartan?" she asked softly, talking into the MP3.

"I wish I could be there to help," he sighed. "Sucks playing you, sometimes," he groused, his voice coming through on her headphones.

She chuckled. "Hey, now, you never complain when that paycheck comes."

"True. Back to business, Ali. I'm not sure what to think. I hate to admit this, but I think Flint is telling the truth. Either that, or he has no clue what's going on in the CIA. Either way, his biowaves are showing he's telling the truth and I doubt he's aware he's being monitored. I'll have to check to see how high his clearance is. Bad thing is, he's our only contact there, for now, so unless you are thinking of monitoring them…." his voice trailed off.

"Not unless it's absolutely necessary. I'd better get back. By the way, have you located the Dreadknoks yet?"

Zartan chuckled. "Yeah, they're ready for a party. Just be careful, ok?" he said, his voice concerned.

"Well, I'm not making any promises, especially with some of the present company."

"Just be safe. Nothing stupid. I'll have the 'knoks on standby."

"Thanks. For everything."

She signed off and decided she had been away long enough. Scarlett and Snake Eyes might be aware of what she was doing, but she was sure Courtney and especially Flint might be wondering. No need to give him any more reasons to doubt her, she thought. He probably thought she was the next Cobra Commander or something! she sighed in disgust.

With this last thought, her attitude on entering the room was none too positive and she immediately went on the defensive when Flint next spoke.

"You know, for someone who we're trying to help, you'd think you'd be showing a little more interest," he said, irritated. Where had she been? Here he was trying to save her company, trying to save _her_, and she up and disappears!

"I wasn't the one who asked you to come here!" she snapped back. "It's pretty obvious you don't know what the hell's going on!"

Courtney looked wide-eyed at the exchange. Scarlett groaned and shook her head. Couldn't they get along for even a minute? Jaye's indifference was better than this!

Snake Eyes tried to get between the two to try to settle some of the tension in the room, but Jaye was too worked up. Someone was trying to topple her company, something she had worked her ass off to get going and keep going. Like hell would she have this person telling her what to do!

She threw out a few curses in Gaelic and then glared at Flint through narrowed eyes. "I'm out of here!" she snapped, and was gone before anyone could react.

Everyone was frozen in shock at the turn of emotions in the room, but Courtney was the first to recover. She ran after Jaye and found her in the garage, revving up a bike.

"Hey, you can't just leave without me!" she quipped, trying to make light of the situation.

"Either you're here to stop me or you're coming with me. I'd suggest the latter since I'm not in the mood to play nice!" Jaye suggested bitterly. "Damn him! I didn't ask him to come here! He can go crawl back under the rock he came from!"

With that, she took off, Courtney barely getting on behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

* * *

><p>"What the hell was that?" snapped Scarlett, looking around the room at the two men still standing there.<p>

"What happened between you two that she can hardly even look at you? I swear, if no one starts talking, there are going to be some heads rolling and it won't be mine!" she snapped at Flint.

Flint looked startled, which quickly changed to guilt and had him sinking into a chair. "Let's just say that last time, two weeks ago, did not end too well," he sighed.

"I got that," Scarlett said impatiently. "What happened?"

Flint sighed again. "Let's just say she caught me trying to plant bugs in her office and her penthouse after we had been getting along."

Scarlett's eyes narrowed. "If you mean by getting along….never mind, I _don't_ want to know! So does she have good reason or not?"

Flint nodded. "Ok, time to fess up," Scarlett continued. "Just between you, me, and Snakes, _is_ the CIA after Phoenix or Lady Jaye?"

Flint looked up at her, his eyes sad. "I'd like to say no, but I honestly don't know. I can ask around and see what I can find out. There are still a couple of contacts I have that know what's going on in some of the departments that I don't have clearance for. This job is not worth it," he grumbled.

"So quit!" Scarlett snapped. "I still can't believe you went and worked for them. I heard Ali offered you a position which you turned down cold. Now, don't get your back up! I know about it because we were discussing a position which you would've been highly qualified. Still haven't filled it," she grumbled. "I'd better go find out where Courtney got to."

"I can't believe you would've left _me_ behind, of all people, when you had a bike like this!" yelled Courtney as they barreled down the road. She hung on tight since it seemed Lady Jaye had a death wish with the way she was driving. Courtney had to admit, however, she could handle the bike. Something she had not known about her friend. Courtney had thought Ali was all luxury sedans and 911s.

"Do we know where we're going?"

Lady Jaye had calmed down a little, the feel of the bike under her too good to stay angry for long. "Yeah, we're going to hang out with a few old friends," she yelled back at Courtney, who remained clueless.

Jaye roared into town and stopped in front of a pub. Getting off the bike, she turned to Courtney. "You don't have to come if you don't want to. I just couldn't stay there anymore and get accused of not trying to save my company! I needed to blow off some steam. If you want, I could call for a car or you could take the bike back," she said apologetically.

"Are you kidding?" Courtney gushed. "Not that I'm not tempted by the bike offer and will probably beg you to drive it home, but this is just getting interesting! Let's go."

Courtney led the way in the bar, squinting to see through the gloom.

"Over here," Jaye chuckled, leading Courtney over to where the Dreadknoks waited.

"Oy, luv, we wondered if we was goin' ta see ya here! Started the party witout ya," sputtered Ripper, holding up his beer bottle.

Jaye chuckled and turned to Courtney. "See, if you pick the seediest bar in town, you never know who you'll run into. Trust me, they're harmless," she said to Courtney's wide-eyed look.

"Sorry," she breathed. "I guess I'm still not past the whole Cobra/Joe thing and sometimes these things rattle me."

Jaye smiled. "Trust me, you're in for a good time."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

* * *

><p>Flint paced up and down the room. "Where are they?" he demanded of Scarlett, who had just come back into the room after being gone for 30 minutes.<p>

Scarlett avoided his eyes. "Um, they took off."

"What?" Flint raged. "What the hell is she thinking? Someone is after her and she goes off joyriding?"

"Now calm down," Scarlett soothed. "We know where they are. In fact, we know where Ali is at all times when we need her. Sorry, company secret," she said at his questioning gaze. "Needless to say, she's safe and the guards are looking out for her."

"Tell me where she is and I'll carry her spoiled butt home and make sure she understands the seriousness of the situation," he growled.

Scarlett started to speak, but then saw Snake Eyes shake his head. Maybe she _should_ let him go after her, she thought. They had to face each other at some point, and he probably wouldn't kill her with Courtney present. _Probably_ being the key word there.

Reluctantly, she told Flint the name of the bar, told him the directions to town, and gave him the keys to one of the cars. She hoped she was making the right decision.

Flint couldn't believe the sight that befell him when he walked into the bar. Courtney was giggling hysterically about something a guy was saying to her. Was she drunk already? He looked around and saw Jaye in the corner and it looked like she had a row of shot glasses set up in front of her, empty. He groaned. He had seen this before and it never boded well.

As he got closer to the table, he noticed something familiar about the guy taking shots across from Lady Jaye. Holy shit, was that a Dreadknok? Which one was it? He never could tell them apart, not that he ever needed to. He was so confused, all he could do was stand there and stare.

A waitress pushed past him and set up another round. Jaye leaned over and teased Zipper about something, which caused him to give a loud shout of laughter. She was looking pretty happy with herself.

Flint figured he'd better put a stop to it, but before he could move a step, a hand clasped him on the shoulder.

"It's like a freakin' Joe reunion," chuckled one of the Dreadknoks. "What's up, mate? Here to join the party?"

Flint now recalled the fact that the Dreadknoks were known to work with Phoenix, so he figured things were safe. For now.

"Yeah, _mate_." Flint said back, moving his shoulder to let the hand drop. "Just wandered in to see how Lady Jaye was doing."

The 'knok gave a drunken giggle. "She and Ripper are having some fun."

Flint closed his eyes and prayed for patience. Sensing no divine intervention, he moved towards the two in the back. Immediately, two guys started to move that were observing the contest, but a quick look at Flint and then at each other had them moving back, relaxing. He realized they were part of the guard unit at the house.

Flint nodded to them and then approached Jaye.

Ripper was the first to see him. "Aw, now mate, don't be dragging her off too soon. I was about to win…." he slurred, looking close to falling over.

"Like hell," cheered Lady Jaye as she took another shot. Looking up she saw Flint. Giving Ripper a wink, she whispered loudly, "Uh oh, looks like Dad's here." She giggled. "Are you going to ground me?" she said in a stage whisper to Flint.

She and Ripper started laughing so hard, they almost fell out of their chairs.

Flint couldn't help but smile. "Come on, Ali, let's go home."

She grinned up at him. "Aren't I s'posed to be mad at you?" She glanced at the table. "'k, soon as I finish these." She took 3 quick shots, then stood up, only to sway, and sit back down.

"Whoops! Gotta do that a little slower," she giggled.

Flint sighed and bent down and scooped her up. "Wo'e boys, I migh' g' lucky tonight!" she winked, saying the words in her best cockney accent.

She snuggled up against Flint, pressing her lips to his neck. "This is a nice dream. I like it. Wish it were real though," she muttered to herself, getting comfortable.

Flint didn't argue with her. For once, they weren't at each other's throats and for that, he was happy to let her think she was in a dream. Tomorrow would definitely bring out a different Jaye.

He carried her to the car and tucked her into the front passenger seat. The guards who were in the bar came out with a giggling Courtney, who climbed in the back.

Pretty soon, both were asleep as he drove the car back to the house. Behind him, one of the guards followed on the bike. He wasn't sure how the other guard was getting home, but figured they had a car stashed somewhere.

Getting home, one of the guards carried Courtney to her room, leaving Flint to handle Jaye. He wasn't sure which room was hers, but he was met by Greta, the housekeeper, who showed him where to go. She looked at him disapprovingly as he entered her room, nudging the door shut with his foot.

Jaye opened her eyes and looked at him sleepily. "Hi, Dash," she said softly.

"Hi, Ali," he answered, thinking she looked adorable, even though she was totally trashed.

"Thanks for bringing me home," she whispered. "I miss you."

"Aw, honey, I've missed you too," said Flint softly, his voice breaking.

"Why do we have to fight?" she asked sleepily. "Why did you wait two years to come see me, and you only came because it was a mission?" she sighed, turning over.

Flint didn't know what to say. Jaye sighed again and closed her eyes, her breathing even. Flint slipped into bed beside her and just held her. He knew tomorrow would see her hating him once again, but he'd take this night to just be with her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

* * *

><p>Flint woke a little before dawn with Lady Jaye still in his arms. He hated leaving her bed, but didn't want to face her anger when she found him there, so he got up carefully, leaving the room to go to his own. Once there, he took a shower and got dressed, not sure what else to do.<p>

Lady Jaye awoke when the door shut quietly behind him. At first, she was disoriented, and felt the warm spot next to her. Frowning, she saw that she still had on her clothes from the night before. Thinking about last night and her time with the 'noks, she slowly began to remember leaving the bar. Her face flamed with embarrassment as she realized she had asked Flint why he hadn't come to see her in two years. Alcohol always loosened her tongue and inhibitions, and it seemed both were against her last night when it came to Flint.

Absentmindedly she rubbed the now cooling spot next to her on the bed. A tear rolled down her cheek. No use feeling sorry for yourself, she thought. Sighing, she knew she wasn't going to get any more sleep and decided to take a run to clear her head and work off some of the alcohol from last night.

Changing into running clothes, she grabbed a juice in the kitchen and took one of the guards with her. Despite what she told the others about being able to take care of herself, she wasn't stupid. If someone was after her company, then more than likely, Flint was right. They'd also be after _her_.

As she jogged, she thought of the different scenarios offered by last night's meeting. She'd have to call Hawk and see what he had found out. She was beginning to have her doubts about the CIA. Yes, she had embarrassed them, but she couldn't see them spending time on a vendetta against her. It's not like she had publicly embarrassed them, just hurt their pride, she smiled.

After her run, she went straight to the kitchen to whip up something to eat. Greta was in there and shooed her out, promising to make her one of her favorite omelets, so she decided to take a shower first. Walking down the hall, she saw the door to Flint's room open, and she ducked into her own. No use embarrassing herself further with him. While it was nice he had stayed with her, she had to wonder if there was an ulterior motive.

After her shower, she glanced at the time and figured she'd catch Hawk. After eating the omelet Greta created, she went down the hall to her office. Turning the corner she literally ran into Flint.

"Oof!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry!" she winced. _Of all people!_ she growled to herself.

He reached out a hand to steady her and heard her quick indrawn breath. Now what? he wondered.

"Um, I was just going to go call Hawk," she said and, before she could stop herself, added "Did you want to listen in?"

What the hell was she doing? she asked herself, stunned.

Flint looked as surprised as Jaye felt. "Sure," he rumbled, following her into the office.

He took it all in. The antique furniture gave the room a traditional look, but he also noted the gadgets here and there that signaled it was a functional modern office as well. Jaye gestured him to a seat and opened up her laptop, typing in a few words and muttering to herself in what he thought was Gaelic. He figured they were probably about him, but didn't even try to say anything. He just watched her.

"Okay," she breathed. "Get the show on the road. General Hawk, are you there?" she asked aloud, like he was in the room.

The sound of Hawk's voice came from her laptop. "Yes, Jaye, needing an update?" She could hear the fatigue in his voice.

"Sir," she said, "before you say any more, I want you to know that we're not alone." She filled him in on Scarlett asking Flint for help and mentioned he was in the room. She also went through several scenarios they had discussed the night before. Hawk listened carefully, asking questions here and there.

"Nice to hear from you again, Flint," the general said gruffly as Flint explained his piece. "Here's how I see it…."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

* * *

><p>They listened to Hawk for 10 more minutes and then signed off.<p>

At first, Flint and Lady Jaye just looked at one another, neither one wanting to be the first one to speak.

Jaye sighed and decided to break the silence. "So, I guess we need to find the others and fill them in on what we've learned," she said, getting up. She had tried to read him during the conversation with Hawk but of course, as she should have known, Flint was a professional and acted as such.

Flint put a hand on her arm. "Wait," he said simply. She turned to look at him. "Um, thanks for including me in on the call."

"Oh," she said, feeling embarrassed. "No problem. Thanks for coming to help out, even if you weren't too well received at first," she said by way of apology.

They both noticed he was still holding her arm. He released it, but she just stood there, waiting, not sure what exactly she was waiting for. Her pride screamed at her to get as far away as possible before she ended up totally embarrassing herself.

"Anyway," she continued, giving him a small smile, "let's go see what the rest are up to. Even with the luxury of sleeping in, the others should be up by now."

"Ali…" Flint started to say, putting his hand on her arm again, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Hey Ali, are you holed up in there? Can't keep hiding forever!" Scarlett admonished, opening the door. Seeing Flint with her, her eyes widened. "Oh, did I interrupt something?"

"No!" Flint and Jaye said at once.

"Um, just talked to General Hawk. Is everyone awake? Good, let's all gather around the breakfast table and we'll talk about it," Jaye said hurriedly, embarrassed at what Scarlett must be thinking.

"Are you ok?" Scarlett hissed to Jaye as they left the room, letting Flint go ahead of them. "What was that? First you're at each other's throats, and then you're in a room behind closed doors?"

"It was nothing," Jaye answered, biting her lip. "He just happened to be around when I called Hawk for an update and I wanted to see his reaction and get his opinion on things. We need an outsider's opinion - we're all too close in this."

Scarlett just looked at her. "Not that I'm one to doll out advice," she began, to which Jaye snorted and rolled her eyes. "Look," continued Scarlett, ignoring her, "you two need to do something. Decide how you're going to be with each other. He's here to help and despite what you think after last time, he really does care. He wouldn't be here if he didn't," she said pointedly.

Jaye sighed, but didn't answer. She didn't need Scarlett's lecture to know that things needed to be resolved between the two of them. She was at war with herself about the whole matter. However, she'd need to figure out something so she could focus on her latest problem, and stop bringing up ghosts from the past.

They entered the dining room and saw Courtney finishing up a plate of pancakes. She looked up at the three entering and smiled. "If I keep eating this way, I'm going to have to run 12 miles to work it off!"  
>she said good-naturedly.<p>

"I never did understand where you put it all," grinned Scarlett. "I'd trade you metabolisms if I could!"

Flint cleared his throat which got the girls' attention. "We need to continue our discussion from last night," he began. Courtney looked to him, amused. She figured he'd bring out the ol' warrant officer attitude soon. He was such a take-charge kind of guy, she thought, amused. Flicking a glance to Lady Jaye, she wondered if she'd be okay with it.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

* * *

><p>Jaye went over the sideboard and poured herself a mug of coffee and settled down in a chair. She looked lost in her own thoughts, Courtney noted. Poor girl. It had to be tough on her to deal with all this. She wasn't sure how she'd managed so much pressure. It was one thing to be a Joe and be stressed, it would be another thing to be singled out by Cobra and all the other bad guys in the world!<p>

Snake Eyes entered the room and sat down next to Jaye. He reached his hand out and squeezed hers. She gave him a weak smile and sipped her coffee, looking down once more at the table.

She let the conversation flow around her as they discussed Hawk's information. Her eyes strayed to the MP3 she had placed on the sideboard when she had gotten her coffee. Keeping Zartan in the loop was crucial to her, since he offered an outside opinion. While she respected everyone here, they were all former Joes and honestly, as she had found out on some of her missions, some things were too black and white with their thinking. Zartan tended to think in the gray area since he essentially lived _in_ the gray area. She knew that he was loyal to Phoenix and made enough with his salary that he didn't have to do "side jobs," but also knew he liked to keep his hand in things. She turned a blind eye to it because he was so loyal to her and at times like this, she needed that "gray area" thinking.

"Are you with us, Jaye?" asked Flint, a little annoyed at what he thought was indifference to the whole conversation.

She looked over at him. "Yes," she said, refusing to respond to his tone. Let him think what he likes. If he didn't know her well enough to know that she was taking this seriously…..

He sighed. Her eyes were deliberately blank, which meant he couldn't read her thoughts. He hated when she got like that. It made her a great covert agent, but it usually drove him insane, because it meant she was hiding something from him.

The conversation continued with everyone giving their opinion of the situation.

Frustrated, Jaye got up and all eyes fell on her. She looked around at each member of the group.

"Look, first I want to say sorry to Shana and Courtney for inviting them for what was supposed to be a relaxing, fun weekend, but of course turns into this," she began, making a typically Gaelic gesture which the others interpreted as frustration.

As the girls started to protest, she continued. "Then, thank you to Flint and Snake Eyes for coming out, especially Flint since he has gone out of his way to help." She nodded to each of them.

She sighed. "I know the situation is pretty serious and I'm sorry if you were thinking I wasn't taking it as so. However, I have learned that sometimes it's best to listen to everyone and stay quiet, which some could interpret as being indifference." Flint had the grace to look away. "This way, I can put everything I'm hearing together and get the true picture."

She started to pace. "As far as we know, Phoenix appears to be on the CIA target list. However, we are not finding evidence of this, so it seems that someone, or something, wants us to, frankly, be eliminated, one way or another. This may also be directed at me as I am the "face" of the company, so to speak. Between Hawk and another source we have, I think we have pretty much ruled out certain organizations and the CIA in general, which leads us to a list of others that may have the power to orchestrate something like this."

"If you will excuse me," she said to the assembled group, "I will go get a fax that should be coming in about now listing some of these organizations."

With that, she left to go to the office. The others looked at each other, puzzled.

Scarlett leaned over and patted Flint's arm. "Sorry, she's in CEO mode. I know you haven't seen it much, but it's kind of freaky to watch when you know the old Jaye," she explained, noting his puzzled look. "You get used to it," she said, amused at his response.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

* * *

><p>The trip back was uneventful. Jaye closed her eyes and managed to take a long nap before the plane landed and it was back to work, as usual. Not exactly the restful vacation she had thought it would be, she sighed.<p>

Scarlett started on her as they were landing. "Not that I'm one to argue with happiness, because heaven knows, you deserve it, but….do you know what you're doing?"

Jaye sighed as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got up. "No. Instinct tells me he's on the level about things, no agent tricks up his sleeve. Reminds me of what we used to have."

"Problem is," she said, turning and looking at Scarlett, "can we ever go back there?"

Scarlett sighed. "I don't know. I'm glad you two buried the olive branch and all that, but…..just be careful, ok?" She pointedly looked out the window where she could see Zartan waiting for them next to the car.

As Jaye descended from the plane, Zartan came and met her. "Nice flight?" he asked politely in front of the others.

"Yeah," replied Jaye, stretching. "Not too bad. You leave any work for me to do, or have you handled everything?" she teased.

"Oh, I managed to save you some things here and there," he chuckled. He steered her towards the waiting car. Scarlett sighed and shook her head. She and Snake Eyes made their way towards another car that would take them back to their apartment. She hoped her friend knew what she was doing.

As Zartan and Jaye headed back to the Phoenix offices, he filled her in on things that had happened over the long weekend.

"I've saved the best for last," he said as they entered her penthouse. When she saw the coat of arms and heather hanging over her fireplace, Jaye gasped in surprise. "What? How? When?"

Zartan grinned. "Wow, never have known you to be speechless before. Just a little something to help ease the tension at the end of a long day. Figured it would be good since you were into the family thing."

Jaye gave Zartan a big hug. "Thank you," she whispered, touched as always at his sensitive side he hid from so many others. "It does mean a lot."

"Well," he said, embarrassed, clearing his throat, "I'll leave you to unpack and see you down in your office in about 15 minutes or so?"

"Of course," Jaye replied, already thinking ahead to the work that was waiting for her. She turned to say something else, but saw that Zartan had already slipped away.

They really did have a good working relationship, she mused, as well as a growing fondness for one another. He did little things for her like this, as well as sending the 'Noks in to support her when she needed it, like in France. Even though they were sometimes on the Phoenix payroll, really only Zartan could control the rowdy bunch. They _were_ fun, she smiled. But then again, not everyone quite got their sense of humor. She felt they did have her back, but only because Zartan respected her, and so they respected her as well. Or I could just be losing it, she thought, rolling her eyes.

Finished unpacking, Jaye figured she'd go ahead and tackle whatever lay on her desk. Even though it had only been four days, Phoenix never rested. It was often a full 7-day workweek, which is why she jumped at Scarlett's offer to get away. Well, maybe not jumped, but certainly was easily persuaded!

As Jaye headed to her office, she smiled and nodded at the employees as they greeted her. She really did enjoy running Phoenix. When her uncle had talked her into taking over, she was so sure she couldn't handle it. Now, she didn't know what she'd do without it! It had become a part of her. The employees had become like family that she would protect. Whatever out there was threatening that security, she would deal with and take measures that would not let something like this sneak up on her again. Zartan had been right. While they knew a backlash was a possibility, knowing who and what they were dealing against, she had not taken it as seriously as she should have. Now was the time to deal with it and close that gap, so that it would not happen again.

After Jaye had talked with her assistant about matters, she entered her office and smiled as she saw Zartan waiting for her there. "Sorry," she apologized, since it had now been over 15 minutes.

He waved her apology away and got down to business. They discussed completed missions as well as several possibilities for new ones, as well as new clients that needed help from Phoenix.

After they took care of those matters, Jaye looked at Zartan thoughtfully. She pulled the list of organizations he had faxed her out of her bag and placed it on the desk.

"So," she began, "we need to deal with this."

Zartan chuckled. "I've been thinking. I already have a plan in mind and it goes so well with our new prototypes we just received from MARS."


End file.
